After years of waiting, the St. Lunaire-Griquet Fire Department is finally seeing work commence on a new fire hall.
Facilitated by the fire department, local ambulance services, the town, and the provincial government, fire Chief Tyler Hillier was proud to see construction finally start on Oct. 28.
“This building has been just out of reach for quite a few years,” he told SaltWire Network. “We’ve tried quite a few years to get the money up for an extension.”
The new structure will be an extension of the old town hall, which had been donated to the fire department to use after a new town hall was constructed more than a decade ago.
Once the extension is complete, a separate structure, where the vehicles are currently housed, will be partially torn down.
What remains of that structure will be used for maintenance.
According to Hillier, the old facility was fine when it was built but could no longer accommodate their vehicles and equipment.
The extension will be 48 x 52 feet and will include a garage for the fire truck, rescue vehicles, and for the ambulance.
The former town hall portion will continue to be used for rentals, meetings, and training.
St. Lunaire-Griquet Mayor Dale Colboune felt the building was badly needed.
“It’s a good project, it’s a worthwhile project and the town needs it,” she said.
It’s proceeding with some provincial assistance.
The Town of St. Lunaire-Griquet was awarded $30,000 through the Community Enhancement Employment Program (CEEP), a provincial program that provides short-term employment to workers in rural areas seeking up to 400 hours for employment insurance eligibility.
The CEEP funds helped the town hire 13 workers.
The fire department and the St. Lunaire-Griquet Ambulance Services are paying for the remainder of the project.
Hillier wanted to acknowledge the contributions of many people who helped see the project come to fruition.
He expressed gratitude to the St. Lunaire-Griquet firettes, the mayor and council, the provincial government, local businesses, and others in the community who helped in any way to get the fire hall.
Stephen Roberts is a west coast reporter in Corner Brook.
